5 Things So Much Worse In The 'Game Of Thrones' Books They Couldn't Show Them On TV

To avoid fainting, keep repeating 'It's only a movie...It's only a movie...'

This article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones, but the title is fairly self-explanatory: we're looking at disturbing moments from the books that were too messed up for TV. Trigger warning: lots of sadistic and sexual violence.

What many fans adore about George Martin's writing is that #GameofThrones creates an evocative fantasy world, but blends that medieval chivalry with a realistic, hefty dose of medieval brutality. Unencumbered by the censorship that comes with (even cable) TV, Martin really puts the DARK in the Dark Ages... Check out five of the most brutal book moments, ranked.

5. Hangin' Out

'Game of Thrones' - Credit: HBO

What? Catelyn Stark returns from the dead as Lady Stoneheart, and she is seriously pissed off. Determined to avenge herself and her family, the lines between enemies and friends start to blur. She's kind of an undead version of the robot Santa on Futurama that's convinced that everyone is NAUGHTY.

Excerpt: Chapter 42, A Feast For Crows:

''Brienne felt the hemp constricting, digging into her skin, jerking her chin upward... Brienne sucked the air in desperately, even as the rope was strangling her. Nothing had ever hurt so much.''

Could we see this storyline? Possibly. Lady Stoneheart has not yet appeared, so it seems unlikely... The Game of Thrones show is also more wimpy about killing off main characters, so will probably not even threaten Brienne with death in this way.

4. Whip It

'Game of Thrones' - Credit: HBO

What? Little Tommen (even younger in the books than he is on TV) starts to stand up to Cersei, which is pretty much the number one thing that Cersei hates. To bend his good heart to her will, she forces him to beat another little boy (named Pate) until he bleeds. Hardly surprising behavior from the woman who handed Lady Falyse to Qyburn and cut the Blue Bard's nipple off, but still pretty disturbing.

Excerpt: Chapter 36, A Feast For Crows

''I want Tommen to whip the boy himself. He is to continue until the boy is bleeding from both cheeks. If His Grace refuses, or says one word of protest, summon Qyburn and tell him to remove Pate's tongue, so His Grace can learn the cost of insolence."

Could we see this storyline? Nope. Cersei's shit outta children.

3. Euron the Incestuous Child Molester

'Game of Thrones' - Credit: HBO

What? As a youngster, Euron molested his other, younger Greyjoy brothers. Long suspected by fans as Aeron's childhood memories of his big brother were kinda creepy — ''The sound of a door opening, the scream of a rusted hinge. Euron has come again'' — the incest theory was proven in a Winds of Winter chapter that Martin released early:

Excerpt: Aeron I, The Winds of Winter:

''It was me who taught you how to pray, little brother. Have you forgotten? I would visit your bed chamber at night when I had too much to drink. You shared a room with Urrigon high up in the seatower. I could hear you praying from outside the door. I always wondered: Were you praying that I would choose you or that I would pass you by?”

Could we see this storyline? Yes. Euron is gearing up to be a main character in season 7, and it's likely that we'll be told more of his back story. We need to know more about Euron, as his character has been a little wooden on the show so far. His cruelty, even from childhood, is relevant to understanding just what kind of man he is. Another nicely disturbing incident we could see in Game of Thrones season 7 is the time Euron straps a naked, pregnant woman to the prow of his ship.

2. Lollys Stokeworth

'Game of Thrones' - Credit: HBO

What? On the Game of Thrones show, Sansa is separated from The Hound during the Riot of King's Landing. Sansa finds herself pursued by some slobbering would-be rapists before The Hound finds her. In the book, the girl in this scenario was not so lucky. Sansa absorbed a lesser version of Lollys Stokeworth's fate, a dim-witted noble girl who is gang-raped during the riot.

Excerpt: Chapter 41, A Clash of Kings

''Lady Tanda's daughter had surrendered her maidenhood to half a hundred shouting men behind a tanner's shop. The gold cloaks found her wandering naked on Sowbelly Row.''

Could we see this storyline? Unlikely. The riot has passed and even pay-cable has limits.

1. Everything Ramsay's Ever Done

'Game of Thrones' - Credit: HBO

What? Literally everything. Ramsay is a scum-suckin' mollusk and his behavior on the show barely scratches the surface of his cruelty. Rather than any isolated incident, it's more helpful to view his worst acts of sadism as a thoroughly unpleasant list:

Hunting, raping and flaying several women

Flaying is the Bolton sport and words — ''Our Blades Are Sharp'' — but Ramsay takes a particular pride in it. The regular outlet for his flaying frenzy is his peasant girls. The women are stripped naked, hunted and raped. If Ramsay judges them ''good sport'' he only flays them after he kills them:

"The ones who weep and beg and won't run don't get to come back as bitches." The skins of these women are displayed as trophies, and their bodies fed to his dogs.'' (Chapter 12, A Dance with Dragons)

The Wedding Night

Sansa never marries Ramsay in the books, but her childhood playmate Jeyne Poole does. Jeyne is disguised as Arya and married to Ramsay to strengthen the Bolton claim on The North, and he treats her horribly. On the wedding night, Ramsay's rape of his new bride is compounded by some sick details, forcing Theon to join in:

““Reek, get over here. Get her ready for me.”

For a moment he did not understand. “I… do you mean… m’lord, I have no…”

“With your mouth,” Lord Ramsay said. “And be quick about it. If she’s not wet by the time I’m done disrobing, I will cut off that tongue of yours and nail it to the wall.” (Chapter 37, A Dance With Dragons)

Forcing his wife to perform lewd acts with his dog

HBO opted out of showing (or even mentioning) everything that Ramsay does to his bride. Like Reek, Jeyne Poole is totally conditioned to obey Ramsay out of sheer terror. In the book, she begs:

''I'll do what he wants... whatever he wants... with him or... or with the dog or... please... he doesn't need to cut my feet off.'' (Chapter 41, A Dance With Dragons)

Ah, well. At least 'The Battle of the Bastards' evened the score a little...

Has Game of Thrones ever crossed your personal boundaries or has it all been good fun? Sound of in the comments below about censorship, graphic and/or sexual violence and general depravity in Game of Thrones...

Poll

Has anything on 'Game of Thrones' ever been so disturbing it made you wince?

Yes, a couple moments really got to me, they were so brutal and/or disturbing

No, I've never been disturbed or grossed out by 'Game of Thrones'

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